Open AccessComplementary and alternative medicine usage amongst multiple sclerosis patients in Iran
Author(s) -
Aliyeh Ranjbar,
Babak Daneshfard,
Sadegh Izadi
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
deleted journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.138
H-Index - 16
ISSN - 1823-6138
DOI - 10.54029/2021zfv
Subject(s) - medicine , acupuncture , alternative medicine , family medicine , multiple sclerosis , modalities , conventional medicine , cross sectional study , cupping therapy , moxibustion , massage , neurology , traditional medicine , physical therapy , psychiatry , pathology , social science , sociology
Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and patterns of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) usage amongst multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in Iran and to evaluate the perceived effectiveness.Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. Data were collected from 194 patients with MS at the neurology clinics affiliated with Shiraz University of Medical Sciences by a semi-structured questionnaire.Results: The prevalence of CAM usage was 67.9%. Herbal medicine was the most common CAM used among the patients (64.2%). Cupping therapy, relaxation therapies, acupuncture, leech therapy were the other common CAM modalities used. Although less commonly used, yoga had the highest perceived effectiveness.Conclusions: Due to the high prevalence of CAM usage, physicians should inform their patients about the advantages and disadvantages of CAM so as to help the patients make an informed choice.